The present invention relates to a vehicle, and more particularly to a connecting member for connecting left and right suspension arms, a chain play adjusting device and an arrangement structure of cushion units of the vehicle.
As a connecting member in the related art, a stabilizer which extends between left and right lower arms for supporting left and right wheels is known (for example, see JP-A-2001-328410).
FIG. 1 to FIG. 3 in JP-A-2001-328410 will be described below. Reference numerals used here are quoted from JP-A-2001-328410.
A stabilizer 29 is attached to a rear pipe 33 of a vehicle body frame 22 via a bracket 54 so as to be capable of swinging in the vertical direction, and both ends of the stabilizer 29 are connected respectively to a pair of left and right lower arms 27 attached to the rear portions of the vehicle body frame 22 so as to be capable of swinging in the vertical direction.
A final speed reducer 47 is provided at the rear of the vehicle body frame 22.
The final speed reducer 47 is connected to an engine 21 side located at the front via a propeller shaft 49, and is connected to left and right wheels 23, 23 via drive shafts 46 respectively.
The stabilizer 29 is extending widthwise of the vehicle, and the propeller shaft 49 extending in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle is disposed above the stabilizer 29. Since the engine 21 side and the final speed reducer 47 are provided on the vehicle body frame 22, they move little in the vertical direction, and hence no problem arises even when the stabilizer 29 is disposed in the vicinity of the propeller shaft 49. However, for example, when a drive force is transmitted from the engine 21 side to the final speed reducer 49 via a chain, the chain goes slack and shakes in the vertical direction, and hence consideration has to be given to the arrangement of the stabilizer 29 so that the stabilizer 29 does not interfere with the chain. When the stabilizer 29 is placed apart from the chain, interference can be avoided. However, the length of the stabilizer 29 increases, and hence the weight may be increased.
Further, in the chain for transmitting a drive force, since a play may be generated with respect to a sprocket due to loosening caused by abrasion or an influence of temperature, a chain play adjusting device for adjusting the play is required.
A known chain play adjusting device in the related art is the one which adjusts the play of the chain by moving a rear wheel hub for supporting a rear axle of the vehicle in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle by means of a cam mechanism (for example, see JP-B-03-031626).
FIG. 3 and FIG. 5 in JP-B-03-031626 will be described below. Reference numerals used here are quoted from JP-B-03-031626.
A rear wheel hub 12 is a cylindrical member for rotatably supporting a rear axle 13 via a pair of left and right bearings 14, 14, and left and right rear wheels 2a, 2b are mounted to both ends of the rear axle 13.
A pair of left and right supporting plates 7a, 7b provided at the end of a vehicle body frame are formed with notches 8a, 8b of rectangular shape in side view. The rear wheel hub 12 is arranged in the notches 8a, 8b, and the rear wheel hub 12 is attached to a pair of upper and lower elongated holes 10a, 10b formed on the supporting plates 7a, 7b respectively with bolts 23, 23.
A supporting bolt 29 is extended between the left and right supporting plates 7a, 7b, and chain plates 25, 25 are mounted to the supporting bolt 29 via a collar 27, and by rotating these chain plates 25, 25, the chain plates 25, 25 press the rear wheel hub 12, so as to be capable of moving the rear wheel hub 12 rearwardly of the vehicle.
Since the rear wheel hub 12 has a structure to be mounted to the elongated holes 10a, 10b formed on the supporting plates 7a, 7b so as to be elongated in the fore-and-aft direction with the bolts 23, 23, supporting rigidity for supporting the rear wheel hub 12 against a load in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle exerted onto the rear wheel hub 12 is reduced, and in addition, a lot of troubles are required when adjusting a play of the chain.
When the weight of the rear wheel hub 12 or the rear axle 13 is heavy, a large operating force is required for moving the rear wheel hub 12 or the rear axle 13. It is preferable that the required operating force when adjusting the play of the chain is small, if it is possible.
Further, disclosed in JP-A-2003-002028 is a related arrangement structure of cushion units in a vehicle where lower ends of cushion units are mounted to lower arms attached to a vehicle body frame.
FIG. 5 in JP-A-2003-002028 will be described below. Reference numerals used here are quoted from JP-A-2003-002028.
Upper arms 201 and lower arms 202 as suspension arms are mounted at one end of each to a vehicle body frame 200 so as to be capable of swinging in the vertical direction and at the other end of each to a knuckle 203 so as to be capable of swinging in the vertical direction. The knuckle 203 is a member for rotatably supporting a wheel 205 via a hub 204.
Dampers 206 as cushion units are mounted at one end to the vehicle body frame 200 and at the other end to a damper mounting member 209 provided on the lower arms 202.
When performing maintenance work for a suspending device in the vehicle as described above, the vehicle is jacked up, and hence the cushion units are expanded to a maximum extent. At this time, when the damper mounting member 209 overlaps with drive shafts connected to the hub 204 when viewed from the front side, or from the rear side, the mounting direction of the damper 206 to the lower arms 202 is limited, and hence improvement of assembleability and maintenanceability of the damper 206 is desired.
Preferably a crime-prevention structure for preventing ill-intentioned mischief against vehicle-mounted components when the vehicle is empty is provided.